Current production printing workflow consists of many applications for each step. Those applications are typically developed by different vendors and having different databases. Therefore, a customer is required to check job status in each application, which makes it difficult for the customer to track the status of each of the print jobs from start to finish (i.e., end to end).
Since operators of each step of the print process cannot recognize activity of a previous step and/or a next step in the printing process, there is no chance to efficiently allocate print jobs to appropriate printers. For example, some jobs may require longer wait times even if other printers, which are capable of processing those jobs, are available and idling. In addition, it may be difficult for customer to decide whether a print shop can accept a high priority, for example, urgent jobs without affecting other regular jobs.